universities, and eclipsing most if not all the younger branches of our nobility in the same chamber of parliament, with either the epithet or character of an" Upstart."

THE YOUNG ROSCIUS.

THE history of the stage, like that of society it self, may be traced to a rude period, and an humble origin. In ancient Greece we find mankind passing through all the intermediate degrees of civilization, from dens and huts, to palaces and regular cities; while the successors of Thespis, who originally exhibited in a cart, found themselves, some ages after, in possession of a noble theatre at Athens, built of the most costly materials, and constructed with all the exquisite taste of which an elegant and enlightened age was capable.*

The scenic art is admirably calculated to present an imitation of the realities, or at least the probabilities of private life; and the stage itself is therefore allowed to be the world in miniature. By its admirers it has always been considered capable of the most exalted objects, and is not unfrequently denominated, even at this day, a school of virtue. It would be difficult, however, to point out, at least in

*The Romans seem to have been slow in their improvements, as Pompey the Great appears to have been the first who built a theatre of stone.

1805-1806.

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the annals of Europe, any advantageous change effected by it, in respect to the duties which men either owe to each other, or to the state; and it must be frankly owned, that the theatres of modern day's have contributed more to the taste than to the morals of the age. This, however, perhaps is more the fault of the audience than the actors, and springs rather from the perversion of, than the institution itself. Certain it is, that the declamation of the theatre affords the means of working up the passions of the multitude, and conveying the most noble and the most heroic sentiments. It is capable of inspiring patriotism, of inculcating bravery, of effacing even the fear of death. On grand and critical occasions, it might accordingly become a powerful engine for the salvation of a country, by electrifying every generous bosom with an ardent love of freedom, and a noble contempt of danger.

It is not a little surprising, however, that in general the professors of this interesting art have been treated with a degree of indifference bordering on contempt. Notwithstanding the French are allowed to have excelled in it, yet their actors received but little respect during their lives, and were denied the rites of sepulture after their deaths. With us, indeed, their remains were not insulted; but until of late their lives were embittered by poverty, and their liberty menaced by the laws.*

Our satyrist, Churchill, depicts them in his time, sometimes, "Of the beadle's lash afraid,"

and

We are to seek for the solution of this enigma, not in the baseness of the profession, but in the poverty and inferiority of the professors. From the time of Elizabeth until nearly our own days, we can scarcely name three opulent, or perhaps respectable performers; but a new class of men at length arose, and a Betterton, a Booth, and a Garrick, seemed destined to rescue the name of a Player from obloquy and reproach.

In the present times we have been astonished with a phenomenon ; for we have beheld a boy at the age of twelve, issuing like Minerva from the head of Jupiter, at once prepared and armed for the combat. This is assuredly unexampled in the annals of the stage; for notwithstanding the zeal and enthusiasm of our greatest performers,* they had all attained the period of manhood before they presumed to make their bow to an audience in the capital.

and at other times,

Crouching for wretched means of life,

To Madam May'ress, or his worship's wife."

The prejudices against actors in England, may be traced up to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, when the indecency of the secular plays was so great, that the clergy were prevented from frequenting them, by the sixteenth canon of the fourth general council of Lateran, A. D. 1215. Du Pin Eccles. Hist.

* Mr. Garrick, we believe, was about twenty-four, and Mr. Powell nearly of the same age, when they became public candidates for fame. Of the latter it may be truly and literally said, that he "felt the ruling passion strong in death." We have been told by a surviving friend, that when on his death-bed, after Mrs. P. had left the room, and while Miss Hannah Moore sat near him, his cheek

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It is a well-known fact, however, that attempts had been made to breed up young actors for the stage, so early as the reign of the Maiden Queen. When the Bankside, the Fortune, and the other theatres of that day, if theatres they ought to be called, were contending for superiority, it appears that novelty was aimed at, by the introduction of the children, belonging to the Chapel Royal. Shakspeare manifestly alludes to this; for one of his most conspicuous characters, while speaking of the performers of that day, expresses himself thus:

HAMLET.

"Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the city? Are they so followed?

ROSENCRANTZ.

"No, indeed, they are not.

ROSENCRANTZ.

"Nay, their endeavours keep in their wonted place; but there is, sir, an aerey of children, little eyuses

* that cry out on the top of the question, and are most tyrannically clapped for it. These are now the fashion.

HAMLET.

"Do the boys carry it away?

cheek was suddenly suffused with a fine lively colour. He at the same time threw himself into the proper attitude, and exclaimed, "Is this a dagger that I see before me?

A moment after this, as if sensible of his imminent danger,

ke cried out "O God!" and instantly expired.

* Mr. Pope defines "little eyases," the "young nestlings, creatures just out of the eggs."

Mr.

Mr. Garrick, when at the height of his celebrity, conceived the idea of instituting a regular school for actors and actresses. Several promising children, chiefly those of performers, were accordingly pitched upon, and certain appropriate plays were, in the language of the theatre, got up, with a view of introducing them. "Edgar and Emmeline," "Miss in her Teens," &c. &c. were actually performed by these alone."

Notwithstanding his astonishing reputation, this great Master of the Passions, it is well known, has more than once played Hamlet and Lear to empty benches; while at other times Miss Brent, in the character of " Polly," counterbalanced the heroes of Shakspeare, although personated even by him. It was, perhaps, in consequence of this caprice, that he attempted, by rearing a seed-bed of theatrical performers, to encrease his fortune, and add to the reputation of his house. But whatever might have been his precise motives, he failed, most completely failed, in the object; for two* alone of all these candidates attained any reputation at that period, and but onet of the whole group exhibited any talents at a riper age.

It has been far different with the subject of this memoir. He burst all at once upon the world, and has been allowed by men of profound judgment to possess many of the chief requisites for forming a perfect actor. The applause which he has received

* Master Simpson and Miss Pope.

+ Miss Pope.

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